State of Illinois Department of Employment Security www2.illinois.gov/ides/ Information for Interstate Claimants CLI124L Page 1 of 2 Pages Rev. (04/2020) (Este es un documento importante. Si usted necesita un intérprete, póngase en contacto con el Centro de Servicios al Reclamante al (800) 244-5631.) Filing your claim If you lived and worked in Illinois, but now reside elsewhere, you can still file a claim for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits against Illinois. You may file from any other state, from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or Canada. To file your claim online you will need to establish a username and password. Keep your password in a safe place. It is not permissible for any other individual to file your claim for you. If you need assistance, call IDES Claimant Services. Benefit payments Benefits payments will be made by debit card unless you sign up for direct deposit . Debit cards are mailed automatically when you initially file a claim. If you signed up for direct deposit after your initial application for benefits you may receive a debit card. Activate and use your debit card until direct deposit is started. Payments made to eligible individuals are generally available within two business days of certification. Appeal rights You have the right to appeal any decision denying your benefits. You may file an appeal by mail or fax your appeal to the fax number on your determination. All letters of appeal must include your name, address, claimant ID or social security number, and provide an explanation of why you disagree. The appeal must be signed and dated, and must be filed within 30 days from the date on the notice of denial. Continue to certify regularly as long as your appeal is pending and as long as you remain unemployed. Work search Illinois law requires that you be able to work, available for work and actively seeking suitable work for each week that you claim benefits. You may be required to send a copy of your work search record. The Work Search Record form is available on our website. You must register for work in the State Employment Service in the state in which you reside. Refer to that state’s website for registration requirements. A determination that you were actively seeking work during a week being claimed is subject to reconsideration and may be reconsidered despite the fact that you have been paid benefits or returned to work. Therefore, do not discard your written work search record for any week being claimed until 53 weeks have passed from the end of that week. Further, if there is an appeal pending regarding your active work search for a week, keep your written work search record until there has been a final resolution of the matter. Unemployment insurance benefits are subject to Federal and State income taxes You may voluntarily elect to have state and/or federal income taxes withheld from your benefit payments. Withholding is at pre-set levels: 10 % for federal and 3.75% for the State of Illinois. Certify via Internet or Tele-Serve You can certify for weeks of unemployment insurance via the Internet or by calling Tele-Serve. To certify via the Internet you will need the username and password you established to file your claim. Tele-Serve is available between the hours of 3:00 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. (Central Time Zone) Monday through Friday. The first time you call Tele-Serve you will establish your personal identification number (PIN). Read the following documents on the IDES website for more information: Tele-Serve and I Filed My Claim, What Happens Now? The first week of your benefit year is a waiting week, which is not payable. In order to get credit for a waiting week, you must certify to your eligibility for the week. Preparing to certify 1. Have your social security number and PIN available each time you call. 2. If you are certifying by Tele-Serve and this is not your first call, have your most current statement of certification available. Make sure the information is correct. You may need the confirmation number on this form. If you do not receive your statement of certification by your next call date, still call to certify on that date. 3. If you worked during the weeks and you received earnings or received holiday pay, be sure you know the gross amount (before deductions) in dollars and cents. 4. Have a pencil and paper handy to write down any information given during the call.